Detector and stop-motion means for knitting machines



May 29, 1923. 11,456,553 I K. Howuz ET AL DETECTOR AND STOP MOTION MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 21, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ueniww:

Jfennefih William 00 Zqyl May 29, 1923; 11,456,553-

K. HOWIE ET AL DETECTOR AND STOP MOTION MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 21, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [mama/firs: qKeia/mia J'z'bwie William @Zhyior, I

Patented May 29, 1923.,

warren stares rarest oration- KENNETH HOWIE, OF NORRISTOWN, AND WILLIAM O. TAYLOR, OF LIMERICK, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WILDIVIAN MFG. CO. OF NORRISTOVT N, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DETECTOR AND STOP-MOTION MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Original application filed February 21, 1920, Serial No. 360,440. Divided and this application filed August To whom it may concern: 7

Be it known/that we, KENNETH Howls and \VILLIAM O. TAYLOR, citizens of the United States, and residents of Norristown, and Limerick, respectively, in the county of Montgomery. and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Detectors and Stop-Motion Means for Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This specification is a. division of that filed by us February 21, 1920, No, 360,440, patented August 1, 1922, Patent No. 1,427,625. It concerns among other features yarn feeding means arranged as a detector for abnormal conditions existing at the point where t-he' knitting is done, said feeding means, when operated as a consequence of theexistence of said conditions, reducing or stopping the draft .of the yarn, and thereby causing stop motion means to operate to arrest the motion ofthe machine.

.Other features of the invention will be clear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings p 2 Figure 1 is a vertical sectional vie-w taken radially of the machine, some of the parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a front view looklng from the center of the machine radially outwards, showing the yarn guide and some of the Web holders or sinkers. 1

Fig. 2 is a detail view looking from the bottom of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the end of the yarn guide and a: portion of a combined web holder and sinker. V V

Fig. 4 is a plan iew of oneof the sections f the ln i ti lg machine.

In these drawings 1 theilfiedle cylinder which in the present illustration is the rotating part, and 2 isthe cylinder Cam ring. The spring beard needles are Sho n at a, there being a single row of these. 4 is the sinker ring which is mounted on the needle cylinder and carries radially slidable sinkers 5, which also perform the function of web holder, being constructed for th s wo-fo d purpose with a yarn engaging and sinking Serial No. 490,647.

nose 6 and a web engaging and holding throat 7.

Individual needle beard pressers are shown at 8, held in place by a spring band 9 engaging their notches 10 so that the presers can have rocking movement to advance to and retract from pressing position.

The thread guide consists of a sheet metal member'40 bent back upon itself with a space between its two sides for the passage of the yarn.

This thread guide is carried by an arm or member 41, pivoted at 42, to a block 43 secured to the cam ring. The arm has a broadened upper end curved over at 44 and hav ng guide eyes 45 for. the yarns. The pivoted arm is held in position against a stop pin 46 byv a spring pin 47 having a conical end engaging a cor-responding recess inthe arm. Pressure exerted upon the arm suflicient to overcome the holding force of the spring pin will throw the arm with its yarn guide backward and lift the yarn guide 41 from its yarn feeding position, shown iu Fig. 2. It will be noticed that the end of the yarn guide when in normal position is in the same horizontal plane in which the sinkers are arranged, but as shown in the plan view, Fig. 4, when the sinkers arrive at the position where the yarn guide is located, they areretracted as indicated by the sinker wave s, s, in said Fig. 4, so as to pass outside of the said guide, after which the sinkers are advanced asat s to sink the yarn between the needles. The edge of the yarn guide is inclined downwardly at 41 and should a sinker, 'by reason of breakage of its butt, not be retracted to proper position, and therefore strike the yarn guide, the latter will be swung up into the position substantially as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the yarn will be lifted from feeding position and its normal draft will be reduced and the stop motion therefor will be operated to stop'the machine,

As an example of a suitable stop motion which may be used for this purpose, we would mention that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,316,929, Sept. 23, 1919.

We have illustrated herein at A, Fig. 1, the ring and one of the yarn fingers of the said stop motion. When the draft on the yarn is materially reduced or ceases, this finger will drop and operate the stop motion connections to stop the machine.

The yarn guide is adapted to direct a main and a plating yarn to the needles as indicated in Fig. 2, One of these yarns is guided under the front wall 41* of the yarn guide arm and the other yarn is directed below the division piece 41 which lies between the sides of the yarn guide and is riveted or pinned thereto.

Featuresnot claimed herein have been made the subject of claims in'application No. 490,648, filed August 8, 1921-, and Patent N 0. 1,445,767 dated February 20, 1923. Weclaimsi 1. In combination, needles, a series ofinstruments, one for each needle cooperating therewith, means for operating them,a stop motion device rendered operative by areduction or cessation of thefdraft of the'yarn, and a member movably mounted and displaced from normal position by contact with a disabledinstrument to withdraw "the yarn from normal feeding position and thereby. reducing or stopping the draft thereon, substantially as described.

2. In combinatiom needles, instruments co-operatlng therewith, means for operating the same, a'yarn guide extending to the feeding point, said guide being pivotally mounted to be moved from its normal position when acted on by a disabled'instrument, and stop motion means held in normal position by the draft of the yarn and arranged to operate to stop the machine when the draft of the yarn is'reduced or ceases consequent upon the yarn guide moving from normal position, substantially as described.

3. In combination, needles, means for' operating the same, a yarn guide pivotallyv mounted and extending from its pivot downwardly and forwardlyin the direction in which the needles travel and, present-' ing an inclined under edge,"instruments cooperating with-the needles and having a back and forth movement and stop motion means rendered active by reduction or cessation of the draft of the yarn consequent upon the yarn guide moving from its normal position by contact with a disabled instrument at or adjacent the yarn feeding point, causing pressure to be exerted on the yarn guide through said inclined edge to move the guide from its normal feeding position, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a circular knitting machine, knitting instruments, a yarn guide, stop .motion means controlled by the draft ofthe yarn running therethrough to theyarnguide, said yarn guide being movably mounted to be displaced fromits normal I scribed.

feeding position as a consequence of contact with a disabled instrument, whereby the normal draft of the yarn will cease and the stop motion will operate,"subs tantially as described. 'i 1 .5. In combination in a circular knitting tact with a disabled :knitting instrument,

whereby the normal draft of the yarn will cease and the stop motion will operate, said stop motion means being located at the axial machine, substantially as de'- center of the e. In combination a a; circularfknitting machine, knitting instruments, a yarn guide,

stop motion means controlled by the draft" of the yarn running therethrough to the yarn guide, said yarn guide. being movably mounted to be displaced from its normal feedmg position as aconsequence "of con tactwith a disabled knitting instrument,

whereby the normaldraftof the yarn will cease and the stop motion will operate,said f yarn guide having [an upwardly extending arm and an arm: extending forwardly along 1 the row of instruments, andgpivo-tally J mounted at the junction of said arms, the I upwardly extending arm having .a yarn guide eye to direct the yarnlto-the forwardly extending arm, which feeds the knitting instruments, substantially as described.

7. In combination in a knitting machine,

needles with operatinglmeans therefor, a'st of instruments cooperating with the needles.

in knitting, means foroperating said in struments, a yarn guide movably jmounted and contacting with aidisiabled instrument to be moved by said contactfrom normal position, and stop motionmeans cjontrolled by the movement of the yarn guide, substantially as described. I

8. In combination i'na knitting machine, needles with operating meanstherefor, a set of instruments cooperating withthe needles in knitting, means for operating saidinstruments, a yarn guide movably mounted and contacting with a disabled instrumentt'o be moved by said contact from normal position, and stop motion means eontrolled by" the movement of the yarn. guide, 7 said instruments consisting of radially movableine'mbers which are normally jretrajcted to p'a ss the yarn guide from their advanced posil- I tions between the described. v 9. In combination ina knitting machine,

, needles with operating means therefor, a;

set of 'in'struments cooperating- -with the f' needles in knitting,,.,nieansif per ti said instruments, at yam g ide movably' h ssles;subs t y mounted and contacting with a disabled instrument to be moved by said contact from normal position, and stop motion means controlled by the movement of the yarn guide, said instruments consisting of radially movable sinkers which are normally retracted to pass the yarn guide, and said guide being pivotally mounted and having its yarn delivery portion in substantially the same horizontal plane with the noses of the sinkers, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a knitting machine, needles, yarnmeasuring sinkers operating between the needles to bend the yarn be tween them, a yarn guide for directing the yarn to normal feeding position in front of the sinkers, a stop motion device held in normal position by the draft of the yarn vand arranged to operate for stopping the machine when the draft of the yarn is reduced or ceases, said yarn guide being shiftable from normal feeding position by contact with a disabled sinker, and When shifted withdrawing the yarn from normal feeding position in front of the sinkers, and from the needles and thereby reducing draft thereon, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signatures.

KENNETH HOWIE. WILLIAM O. TAYLOR. 

